Courts / Cork / Report

'House of horrors' murderer loses appeal over throwing second body into river

Date
2023-07-28

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Bandon

County
Cork

Summary

Jonathan Duke, 27, strangled at Bridge House, Bandon, on 12 November 2011, had his body moved downstairs, trussed with an electrical cord and thrown into the River Bandon. A day earlier, 42‑year‑old John Forrester had been killed in the same building and his body also disposed of in the river. Duke, a father‑of‑one, was visiting Forrester's murderers when he learned of the previous day's killing. Catherine O'Connor, former girlfriend of the victims, is serving life for both murders. Her boyfriend, Ciprian Grozavu, 49, denied murdering both men and was tried separately. Grozavu was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life, but his murder conviction was quashed on appeal and he was retried in 2021. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of two counts of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'House of horrors' murderer loses appeal over throwing second body into river. Charges or matters: both murders and sentenced to life in prison; offences not known to law," submitted Mr Staines. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Acquitted

When:

November 12, 2011 Other
2023-07-28 Publication

Case subjects

Catherine O'Connor

Background Person

Charges: both murders and sentenced to life in prison; offences not known to law," submitted Mr Staines (Alleged Or Contested)

Finding: Acquitted

Outcome: Acquitted; The Romanian father-of-one was found guilty of both murders and sentenced to life in prison. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath sentenced Grozavu to eight years for assisting O'Connor in trying to dispose of the body of Mr Duke in the river, and to six concurrent years for helping O'Connor remove the body from the scene.